Convertible trunk.



A. L. KAHN. CONVERTIBLE TRUNK.

(Application filed Jan. 6, 1900.)

(-No Model.)

Patented July 3, I900.

3 Sheeis-Sheet l.

No. 652,784. v Patented July 3, I900.

, A. L..K'-AHN.,

CONVERTIBLE TRUNK.

(Apphcat nfil d Jan 6 1900) 3 Sheets$heet 2.

(No Model.)

lddimeases.

(No Model.)

Patented July 3; 1900.

A. L. KAHN.

CONVERTIBLE TRUNK.

(Application filed. Jan. 6, 1900.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

. writing-desk which maybe placed upon any NI ATES' ALBERT L. KAHN,OFQMADISVION, INDIANA.

CONVERT lBLET RUNK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.'652 ,78 4, dated July3, 1900. Application filed January 6 lQQO. fierial No. 607. (No model.)

ana, have invented certain new and useful: Improvements in ConvertibleTrunks; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,

clear, and exact description of the invention,

such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same.

As will be hereinafter fully described and claimed, my invention relatesto a combined trunk, wardrobe,- writing-desk, and dresser or bureau.

The object of my invention is to provide a trunk the parts of which maybe so manipulated or disposed that an article of furniture possessingbeauty of appearance and conven-. ience will be the result.

It will be seen from the following specification, considered inconnection with the accompanying drawings, made a partof thisapplication, that the parts of my combined trunk,

writing-desk, wardrobe, and dresser are of,

very simple construction, though possessing great utility, and that thesame may be very cheaply manufactured, expeditiously assembled, andconverted into an article of furniture when the trunk is not requiredfor use in traveling.

Other advantages will be made fully apparr ent.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of myinvention,showin g the appearance of an ordinary trunk ortravelingchest. Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing my improved trunkconverted into a dresser or bureau. Fig. 3 is a transverse centralsection of Fig. 2. Fig. 4c is a perspective view of the removable partof my trunk separated and disposed in position to form a portablesuitable support or may be hinged upon the wall at a convenient point.Fig. 5 is adetail showing in section a folding leg secured to the bottomof the trunk, by means of which the trunk-body is elevated, as shown inFigs. 2 and 3. V

In order to conveniently designate the several parts of my invention andtheir cooperating accessories, numerals will be employed,

of which 1 indicates the body portion proper of my trunk, which may bemade of any preferred size and may be provided at the corners thereofwith the usual supporting casters served that the front side of my trunkis cut away, while the forward ends of each are beveled downward to fitsaid edge, as indicated by the inclined edges 5. In order to provide alid which will fit the upper portion of the trunk or body thus cut awayon its front side, I make said lid of sufficient size to telescope withsaid body portion and fit down to and rest upon the upperreinforcing-bar 6, and in order. ,to accomplish this I remove the entirerear side of the lid, and thereby hinge the top portion of the lid atits rear edge to the extreme upper end 7 of the body by means of thehinges8, the lid being held against a rearward movement and sustained ina vertical position bythe depending brackets 9, pivoted on the lid andadapted to engage the lugs 10,

' secured to the inner sides of each end of the is inclosed by the lidwhen the latter is disposed in a closed position, thus insuring that thebody of the trunk when closed will possess great rigidity and consequentstrength.

Designed to hold the body of the trunk elevated slightly above the,floor I providejthe supporting-legs 11, which are so .hinged to thebottom of the trunk near eaclr'end by the hinges 12 that said legs'maybe folded inward, thus disposing them out of the Way when not in use,Where they may be secured in any suitable way, as by the bolts 13, itbeing understood that cleats or lugs 14 are to be secured at each end ofthe trunk and in the middle thereof, if deemed desirable, said exteriorribs being designed to receive suitable casters or other supports bymeans of which the trunk maybe conveniently moved on the fioor.

By cutting away the front side of the trunkbody, as shown in Figs. 2 and3, I provide means for disposing the shelf portion 15, designed to forma writing-desk, it being understood that the beveled ends 5 should be soformed that the section 15 will be disposed at a proper angle to providea suitable support for writing. The desk-section 15 is supported in itsoperative position by means of the cleats or bars 16, which arepermanently secured to each end of the trunk parallel with,thoughslightlybelow, the beveled edges 5 in order that when said section 15 isplaced in position on said cleats the outer surface thereof will beflush with the surface of said edges, while the lower edge of thesection 15 will be sustained by the extreme upper edge of the front sideof the trunk,as clearly shown in Fig. 3.

Secured to the upper edge of the section 15 by means of the hinges 17 isthe verticallydisposed inclosing section 18, which is preferablyornamented in any preferred way and is also provided wit-h a mirror 19,and in order to insure that the inclosing section 18 will fit snuglywithin and inclose the open end of the lid of the trunk when the latteris in a vertical position I hinge to each edge of said inclosin gsection the leaf-sections 20, also properly ornamented as desired, thesaid end sections being secured to the inclosing section by suitablehinges, as 21.

To insure that the inclosin g section 18,with its accompanyingleaf-sections 21, will be reliably held into cooperation with the lid ofthe trunk, I provide the lock or tongue 22, so disposed upon the inneredge of said inclosing section that it will cooperate with the usuallock 23 upon the lid, said lock being also designed to cooperate withthe tongue 24:, secured at a convenient point to the bar 6, by means ofwhich the lid is locked in engagement with the body proper when theparts are disposed as an ordinary trunk.

The leaf-sections 20, secured to the edges of the inclosing sections 18,are so hinged that they may be snugly folded in close contact with andparallel to said inclosing section 18 when it is desired to fold saidparts when not in use, it being understood that the section 15 may alsobe folded upward against the inclosing sect-ion 18, thus disposing allof said parts in a compact and convenient form to be disposed bodilywithin the lid of the trunk, thus enabling said parts to be shipped withthe trunk from place to place, it being obvious that the mirror issafely protected against breakage by the section 15.

By referring to Fig. 4 it is furthermore obvious that the movable partsthus described will be found desirable for use upon an ordinary table orother support, inasmuch as the desk-section 15 may be laid upon thetable, so that the edge thereof may be projected over, if desired, whilethe leaf-sections 20 are disposed at right angles to the inclosingsection 18, thus insuring that said section will be reliably supportedin a vertical position, and thereby provide a desirable article offurniture which may be used independently of the trunk-body.

To the upper portion of the lid I secure at any preferred point thecleats or lugs 25,which are designed to carry a plurality of pins orhooks 26, thereby affording means for disposing various garments out ofthe way without the necessity of folding the same.

By referring to Fig. 3 it will be seen that I provide a box or separatereceptacle 27 within the body proper, a suitable lid 28 being secured tosaid box, which will be found to be a desirable and convenientreceptacle for va rious small articles, such as collars, cuffs, &c.

If for any reason it is not deemed desirable to cut away the forwardportion of the trunk to the extent shown in Figs. 2 and 3, and therebydispose section 15 so far out of a horizontal plane, it will beunderstood that said edge may be only partly removed, in which case asuitable cleat 29 may be secured to the lower side of the section 15 ata proper distance from the edge thereof, said cleat being designed toengage the edge of the trunk and prevent said section from casuallyslipping downward, the said section 15 being indicated by dotted linesin Fig. 8.

It will be seen that I have provided reliablyefficient means whereby anordinary trunkbody may be very readily and cheaply con verted into acombined bureau, writing-desk, and wardrobe, and believing that theadvantages of my improved trunk have been made fully apparent from theforegoing specification further reference to the details thereof isdeemed unnecessary.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a convertible trunk, a body portion proper cut away on its forwardside and having a telescoping lid secured thereto, in combination withthe inclosing section 18 having leaf-sections pivoted thereto, saidparts being designed to inclose the open part of the lid when raised,said inclosing section being further provided with a desk-section hingedthereto adapted to rest at a desired angle upon the edge of the forwardside of the trunk, whereby a desk or support will be provided in themanner specified and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a convertible trunk, a body portion having its forward part cutaway, a telescoping lid hinged to the body whereby said cutaway portionwill be inclosed, in combination with an inolosing section 18, adesk-section hinged thereto; leaf-sections pivoted to said inclosingsection and suitable supporting- 5 racks secured to the inner portion ofthe lid, all combined in the manner specified and for the purpose setforth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

ALBERT L. KAHN.

Vitnesses:

JOHN W. TERIS, O L. COPELAND.

